Determining Factors and Levels of E-skills among Agriculture Experts of Krishi Vigyan Kendras in India

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the emerging driving forces to disseminate the agricultural knowledge. Skilled extension personnel can grab these opportunities for the diffusion of agricultural technologies to farming community. Therefore, the present investigation measures E-skills among agricultural experts of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) — Farm Science Centers in Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India. Data were solicited from 87 proportionately selected agricultural experts from 29 KVKs. E-skills of experts were measured on 5-point Likert–type scale. The high level of E-skills among agricultural experts were identified in internet browsing, e-mailing, Micro-Soft (MS) Word, MS Power-Point and mobile use for sending the text messages. The agricultural experts’ training on ICTs had a positive and significant relationship with E-skills while experts’ age had a negtive effect. Elementary in use of ICT, analytical use of ICT, use of mobile phone for information communication and use of ICT for mass communication were the major factors that governed the E-skills. The total variance explained by these factors was found 74.88%. Tactical E-skills, informative E-skills, formal E-skills and communicative E-skills were identified as important levels of E-skills in order of their expertise. Hence, the study recommends to encourage the young professionals and to impart more ICT based trainings for improving the E-skills of agricultural experts towards tactical level of E-skills.